"One member of the public described to me how he found the mouse gravely ill and spinning wildly and out of control before it sadly died.

“At this stage it would be very difficult to say what caused the death of these animals, but it is unusual for them to be found in the same area with no obvious cause of death.

"I’m asking that anyone with any information please contact the RSPCA, in complete confidence, by calling our inspector’s appeal line number on 0300 123 8018, where they can leave a message for me.

“We all have a duty to care for and protect the wildlife around us, so it would be extremely sad if it was the case that these animals had been deliberately harmed, especially as wild animals are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.”